Jumping Ship
by FHGVZEhyde
Summary: Airborn&Skybreaker Fic. Matt decides its time to rejoin Captain Walken and the rest of the crew of the Aurora only to find that a new captain is strutting the decks, firing the old crew one by one and making life unbearable for the rest.
1. Chapter 1: Cruse Takes Flight

**Jumping Ship**

Matt decides its time to rejoin Captain Walken and the rest of the crew of the _Aurora_ only to find that a new captain is strutting the decks and firing the old crew one by one.

* * *

**Chapter One: Homebound**

I looked back over my shoulder as I clambered across the docks of Lionsgate City. My mother was standing at the gate, holding her sweater closed with one hand and waving furiously with the other. Beside her stood my girlfriend of three months, Kate de Vries, who was standing with her hands on her hips and smiling at me cheekily. She knew I had longed to journey back into the sky and I promised her I would return to Lionsgate City by year's end to visit her and my mother. Standing beside Kate, one hand on Kate's slender shoulder and vigilant as always was the disapproving figure of Miss Simpkins. She was to busy glaring at me to notice Kate's blown kisses.

I turned my gaze as tears began to slide down my mother's thin cheeks and readjusted my pack. Looking heavenward at all the airships that loomed over the docks, I hurried to join in the bustle of loading the ships.

Being mindful of the men carrying crates of supplies and live animals I looked for my ship, the _Aurora_. For too long had I dreamt of being in my cabin with Baz again, of twirling in the dining hall with trays laden down with colorful food being served to even more colorful passengers, but most of all I've missed the long hours in the Crow's Nest, searching the heavens' for other ships, counting shooting stars, and remembering the names of constellations my father taught me long ago.

Ever since I left the crew of the _Aurora_ almost a year ago to go to school at the Airship Academy I have though I made a mistake. I feel trapped on land, I love the freedom that the air can give you and soaring at thousands of feet above the ground made me feel light as a feather and I was the happiest there as ever will be.

I searched the ships' sides, their names were painted vividly onto the outer skin, the _Adventurer_, the _Transcendor_, the _Transitus_, most bore the Lunardi Line mark. Lunardi had expanded his fleet of airships to almost eighty in a year making Otto Lunardi the richest man on this continent and the benefactor of almost 45 of all the airships in operation.

Finally I saw her, the Aurora in all her glory. I wasted no time in hurrying over to the tall man holding a clipboard, he was overseeing the labor of the men loading the ship and idly checking items off a list on his clipboard when it was properly stored onboard the craft. The man looked at me for a moment and then continued flicking his pen across the paper.

"Yes, may I help you lad?" I wrinkled my noise at the slight, I may not have facial hair yet but I felt that I hade certainly filled out some and grown a little since I had last seen the _Aurora_, lad indeed.

"My name is Matt Cruse, I'm signed up to join the _Aurora_ on the trans-Pacific flight in the rank of Sailmaker." The man ignored his clipboard and finally looked me in the eye. "Ah yes, Mr. Cruse. The captain was expecting you yesterday but since you had to come all the way from Paris…no matter…once the ship is airborne in three hours time you are to report to the captain's quarters and receive your bunk assignment and duties."

I didn't immediately walk away like the man had so obviously thought I was going to do but instead looked over his shoulder and pointed out that he had marked a crate of eggs, instead of a crate of breads. The man quickly scribbled out the mistake and filled in the correct information, flushing a deep red.

I took the unnatural coloring of his face as my cue to leave, so I climbed the ramp to the interior of the _Aurora_. Staring at the familiar rooms and decorations, I breathed deeply, feeling at ease for the first time in years. It was like meeting an good friend after a long time apart. Finally, I was home again.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This is just a short, very short prelude to the actual story that will be coming soon. There is wickedness abound in the air and Matt had to go about fixing it before the entire crew is out of a job, and merely because of a misguided grudge!

Next Chapter: Baz is back and not in his usual chipper mood

PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU'RE EVEN THE LEAST BIT INETERESTED IN AN AIRBORN/SKYBREAKER STORY WHICH WILL BE FAIRLY LONG AND NOT POINTLESS, I PROMISE.


	2. Chapter 2: Captain Vizzini

Disclaimer: I do not own anything written by Kenneth Oppel

**_Chapter Two: Captain Vizzini _**

I was admiring the new mural in the dining room when I felt the engines start beneath my feet. The carpet purred and shivered for a moment before the _Aurora_ drifted into noiseless activity. I knew at this very moment that many men were running around below my feet, releasing valves and ensuring that the hydrium was sealed into its compartments.

Some passengers were straggling into the dining room in their afternoon best for lunch so I took my leave and wandered down the hall towards the engines room. Expecting to hear the sharp voice of Mr. Rideau, I was surprised to find another man bearing the mark of First Officer. He was stalking the room with his hands clasped behind his back, barking orders to men at controllers. "Ease up on the right Mr. Kahlo!"

Aaah, finally a familiar face. Mr. Kahlo looked older than I had last seen him but he was still busy at work in the control car. I was contemplating whether or not to go see him when a man stepped into my line of view and squinted down at me. This man was enormous, by far the hugest man I had ever laid eyed on. "What is your business here," he asked in an almost undecipherable accent. I hesitated and then reached for the door handle behind me. "Wrong room." I muttered and shut the heavy metal door.

I decided to head over to Captain Walken's rooms to receive my room and duties now, not wanting to risk being caught by the giant man again. I passed men as I went, some I did not recognize and then others that I did. They all greeted me enthusiastically, pumping my hand and clapping me on the back, before rushing back to their jobs. The hours after take-off were always the busiest.

I passed the dining room again and poked my head in to see if I could find Baz among the swirling waiters. I saw Kristoff and waved at him as he served an elderly couple their tea and he grinned back at me, even as the old man reached up and tugged at Kristoff's collar for putting too much cream in his drink. I ducked out the door and finally ended up outside the Captain's Quarters.

The Captain's Quarters were off-limits to all crewmembers unless they had been given a direct invite. I knocked on the oaken door, uncertain of what to expect. The _Aurora_ had changed some since I had last seen her but I knew old Captain Walken would still be as smiling and gray as always.

The door swung open, hinges clearly been greased to silence even the slightest squeak, and I stepped into the room. My feet sunk into the heavy carpeting and the first thing I noticed was the portrait of Otto Lunardi hanging over the wide desk. Captain Walken had not been a fan of Mr. Lunardi last I remembered but since his wealth had grown so much this last year, maybe Captain Walken had changed his preferences. I looked at the man sitting at the desk and was shocked to see someone other than Captain Walken seated there. This man had propped his elbows on the desk and was leaning his head onto his clenched fists, smiling at me in a disconcerting way. "You must be Mr. Matthew Cruse. A pleasure to meet you at last young man, your name is legendary on these decks." The man stuck out one hand and I grasped it timidly. He vigorously shook my hand and motioned for me to sit in the chair opposite him.

I sat down in the plush chair and turned to ask a question but the man had gotten up quick as lightning and was now pacing the room behind me. My mouth hung open with its unanswered question.

The man turned and smiled eerily at me again. "I'm sure you have many questions for me. Firstly, you must be curious as to who I am. My name is Frederick Vizzini and I am the captain of this beautiful airship."

"But what happened to Captain Walken?" This was not what I had wanted when I had rejoined the crew. Vizzini shook his head sadly. "Mr. Walken has been relieved of his duties by our gracious benefactor, Mr. Lunardi." I looked again at the huge portrait looming over the office. "And I was chosen as his successor. An enormous responsibility to be sure considering how revered Mr. Walken was but I'm sure I'll manage."

I didn't reply, my mind struggling to work through what this would mean for the _Aurora. _Captain Vizzini stared at me, clearly expecting me to speak and when I did not, he shoved a stack of papers at me. "These are your duties for this voyage and room assignment. I'm sorry to have to pair you with a Steward but there were no more open rooms at the time when you joined our crew." I decided that Captain Vizzini's grin was more oily than disconcerting, like an alley cat I had seen at home who had cornered a mouse.

I took the papers and thanked him. Retreating from the office as quickly as I could. No Captain Walken? I sailed under one man beside Walken and he had almost wrecked and killed the entire crew. Walken was a good man and a great captain, what could have caused his replacement? I furrowed my brow as I opened the first of the files. It was my room assignment and to my pleasure I saw that I was to room with Baz again. What good luck! With any hope, lunch would have ended and Baz would have returned to our room to prepare for his other jobs. I almost raced down the halls in my ecstasy to see my oldest and greatest friend.

The last time I had seen Baz had been at his wedding in Australia last year. I had felt separated from Baz then, like we were taking two different paths through life but then came the _Hyperion_ adventure, there was nothing more I had desired than to confide in Baz all my worries about Kate, Hal, and Nadira. There was so much I had to tell him!

Knocking on the door to our room to make sure I didn't burst in one Baz changing outfits, I tucked the files into my belt and waited. Within a few moments the door opened and Baz stood there shirtless, toothbrush hanging from his mouth, and a stupefied look on his face. I knew I must have looked just as foolish with that silly grin splitting my face in two but Baz looked even sillier with his mouth hanging open. After a few moments of garbled babble, Baz was finally able to put together a coherent sentence. "You didn't stow away did you?" He asked, looking down at me suspiciously, of course the first thing he had to say to me would be in jest.

"No." I laughed, straightening my jacket. "I'm Sailmaker." Baz placed a hand to his chest and pretended to faint. "Sailmaker, sir I am but a humble servant." He swept into the lowest bow I had ever seen and held it. It took me moment to realize he was waiting for my okay to stand up. I stifled another laugh and adopted my straightest face. "You may rise." I folded my hand behind my back like the man in the control room and regarded Baz with an imperious look.

Baz straightened, the corners of his mouth twitching, and we both burst into laughter. "The hall is no place for a reunion young Cruse!" Baz ushered me into our room and shut the door behind us softly. It was just as I remembered it, I threw my bag onto the top bunk, planning to unpack properly later.

"So the Academy finally made an officer of you." Baz was folding his shirt and reached over to the dresser to put it away. "You always knew I was officer material Baz. You said one day I would be flying the _Aurora_."

Baz struggled into a clean shirt and smiled at me through the neck hole. "I did say that, and I still mean it. You'd be ten times the captain of this Vizzini." I settled down onto Baz's bunk and watched him try to button the shirt and buckle his belt at the same time.

The picture of his girlfriend Teresa in a bathing suit had been replaced with one of her smiling in front of the altar at her wedding. I grinned, able to make out a fuzzy outline of myself in a black suit in the background. To my surprise another picture had been added, one of Baz, Kate, and myself after we had docked in Sydney my last voyage on the _Aurora_.

I remembered the moment well; the dock was swarming with journalists after the news of our capture, crashing, and then re-taking of the ship from Szpirglas and the rest of his pirates. Baz, Kate, and I had come down the ramp smiling and a bloke had run up to us and snapped out picture. I remember Kate had been unhappy when the picture had appeared in the Lionsgate City Press. Kate was described as the scientific genius, me as the heroic boy who saved the ship, and Baz as the fearless crewmember who tried to oppose Szpirglas.

Baz finally finished dressing and did a little twirl for me. I nodded my approval trying to conceal my amazement, not a hair out of place when just a moment ago he had been a mess, it was impressive. Baz journeyed into the little bathroom we shared and I reached over to shut his dresser when a small box amongst his shirts caught my eye. I had seen this box before.

I took the box and opened and as I had thought, Teresa's engagement ring was sitting inside it.

"Baz," I called.

Baz stuck his head out of the bathroom and saw me with the box. The grin on his face vanished. I held up the box. "Isn't this supposed to be on Teresa's finger?"

Baz sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Mate, I didn't want to tell you this." I gave no signs of losing interest so Baz had no choice but to continue. "I'm in debt, really far in debt. Captain Vizzini's cut pay by nearly half and Teresa and I couldn't find enough money to pay the rent for our apartment. I was supposed to pawn the ring in Lionsgate or Paris but I couldn't bring myself to. I can't support my wife and we've only been married for a year. Oh, and guess what? She's pregnant. I don't know how we're going to make it with a baby."

Baz slumped against the doorframe; I had never seen him look so defeated. For me, Baz was the older brother I had never had and I couldn't stand by and let him suffer like this. It was clear that his financial dilemma was eating away at his conscience.

I stood up and crossed the room to Baz. I slid the box into his hand. "I'm going to help you."

**_Author's Note:_**

Like the story even a little yet? Ah well, I didn't expect it to be popular because I don't know how many people have read the book but reviews would be nice on what you think of my story so far. This chapter was a little longer than the first. Actually a lot longer.

Baz is my favorite character and it kills me to make him sad, in the coming chapters it's not going to get any better for him either.


	3. Chapter 3: A Foul Odor in the Air

Disclaimer: Pfft…please

**Chapter Three: A Foul Odor in the Air **

I left the room after Baz had gone on duty and wandered the corridors for a while, letting my thoughts settle in my jumbled mind. Ideas to help my friend fluttered by occasionally but were almost always rejected within seconds of contemplation.

Baz would never accept money from me, he was too proud for that although he wouldn't admit that. I could talk to Captain Vizzini about raising Baz's pay, but I sincerely doubted that would work either. If anything it would have negative repercussions on myself and I didn't want to be in trouble so soon after returning to the _Aurora_.

When my boot fell upon the floor with a clang, I startled. I had drifted onto the keel catwalk in my ponderings and delighted, I looked up at the furious activity going on around me. Stretching on for stories above me there were metal bridges and ladders with people scurrying along most of them. The axial catwalk was most crowded and the men were walking carefully around one another so no one fell off. There were only a few men in harnesses, checking the hydrium tanks and making sure the goldbeater's skin was sealed tight. All seemed well with the ship.

"Cruse lad!" A man propelled down from above and landed on the catwalk beside me. I immediately rushed forward and embraced Mr. Levy, the chief sailmaker.

"Good to see you Matt." He ruffled my hair fondly and I grinned.

"You too sir. But what are you doing in a harness?" The chief sailmaker assigned the other sailmakers what to do but never went up himself unless it was an emergency.

Mr. Levy gave a sour look but tried to hide it. I saw it anyway and gave him a puzzled expression. He sighed and hooked one thumb through his harness. "I've been demoted lad." Mr. Levy admitted, looking embarrassed and angry.

I took a step back in shock. "No." I said in disbelief. Mr. Levy had been on the _Aurora's_ crew for almost ten years before I joined up. He deserved the rank of chief sailmaker and I'm sure he had done nothing to deserve the demotion.

"It's true. And I'm not the only one either. Vizzini's brought on almost an entirely new crew, and giving them our jobs."

I was astounded and stood speechless for a moment. "So, who's chief sailmaker now?"

There was a loud shout overhead from the axial catwalk and Mr. Levy grinned wryly, pointing straight up at the commotion. "He is."

I looked up myself and saw a very handsome man, probably in his twenties, leaning over the side of the axial catwalk and shouting instructions to a sailmaker clinging to the outside of the ship. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place where…

"Henry Lunardi." Mr. Levy answered my unspoken question.

Once again, I spun on him in confusion. "Bruce's brother?" I knew he had looked familiar. His younger brother Bruce, who had been killed in the Szpirglas incident, possessed the same movie star looks.

"Has he even worked on an airship before?" I asked.

"Aye. A few before this, but only five years worth." Mr. Levy said.

I shook my head in disgust. "You deserve that post sir."

Mr. Levy smiled. "Thank you for the vote of confidence Cruse, but I really must be going back to work…or else my boss will be raising hell." Levy jerked his head towards Lunardi again and grabbed hold of a nearby companion ladder and started climbing.

* * *

My shift started at eight o' clock in the evening so I sat down with a few members of the crew in the kitchen to eat dinner before heading over to the crow's nest. The food was not as exciting as I remembered, back when Chef Vlad had been a knife wielding maddened genius. I left as soon as I could and hurried up to the lounge where I heard Baz was playing the baby grand piano.

The passengers were all wearing their evening best, women in sparkling jewels and men in freshly ironed tuxedos. Baz was wearing a well-worn suit, but the creases were well hidden by his careful ironing every day and you couldn't tell the difference between this bankrupted cabin boy and the wealthy passengers sitting in with champagne glasses in their gloved hands.

I snuck around the bar and stood beside Jack Mobius, who was cleaning a glass with a rag and swaying from side to side absently to the music. "Hello Matt." He greeted me and pulled out a ginger ale, sliding it over the counter to me.

I took the drink with a smile of thanks. It was well known that it was my favorite drink.

"Going on soon?" Jack asked.

I glanced at my watch. "Twenty minutes."

Jack nodded. "You're welcome to stay here if you want. Baz is almost through with this set and will be over for a drink soon."

"Yeah, I think I will stay." I jumped onto a stool and swiveled around to watch Baz. A few of the passengers were dancing, so it obscured my view, but I saw Baz every now and then, eyes closed in concentration and a faint smile on his face as his fingers danced across the keys. It was a marvel to me, his playing was like magic.

It seemed sudden, but the song came to an end and Baz stood and bent at the waist, acknowledging the applause of the guests before sauntering over to the bar.

"Mattie." He sat on the stool next to mine and threw an arm around my shoulder.

"Good playing." I congratulated him with awe in my voice.

Baz grinned and took the cigarette Jack offered him. "Nothing, you should've heard me hopping a half hour ago. Shook the whole place up."

Jack nodded, "It's true."

Baz smiled and patted Jack's arm over the counter. "See? I've got a voucher."

I laughed, and then my watch beeped. I jumped to my feet. "My shift starts right now! Sorry Baz, we can talk later. Thanks for the ale Jack." I dashed out of the first-class lounge and didn't stop running until I had reached the ladder leading up to the crow's nest.

I clipped myself into a harness and started the climb, feeling the air getting cooler as I went higher. I reached the top and zipped up my jacket before pulling my telescope out of an inside pocket.

"Mr. Cruse, are you there?" A voice rang out over the speaking tube.

I grabbed it, trying to ease my breathing before I answered. "Yes, Cruse here."

"Report."

I extended the telescope and looked in all directions; the sun was just visible on the western horizon and all around was a darkening sea. "All clear in all directions." I lifted the latch and stuck my head out into the nigh air.

There was a stronger than usual breeze coming from the South, bringing with it a pleasant warmth, even this high up.

"Mild winds from the South." I reported.

"Very good. Check in every hour." I didn't need reminding but the speaking tube went silent and I was left alone with the stars. For the first time since I had rejoined the _Aurora,_ I felt at ease.

**Author's Note: **

Look! I updated! Isn't that amazing? Sorry for the obviously long wait but I lost all inspiration for this story. Now I really want to finish it but I don't know when I'll update next. I hope it won't be as long as this last wait. Now all I have to do is find a plot…

Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. Note

Uh, I hate writing this. I'm not going to be finishing this story. Sorry. I really didn't have much of a plot anyway. I can't muster enough inspiration to continue this. Sorry. Although seeing as though I haven't updated in ages, you guys must have seen this coming. All three of you. Anyway, that's it. Just wanted to make it official.

FHGVZEhyde


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